SACRAMENTO, CALIF.
Fascist group linked to anti-gay, anti-Semitic attacks
By Keith
Pavlik and Jimmy Salcedo
San Francisco
Linked to the racist rampage in Illinois and Indiana, a
series of fascist murders and arsons have taken place in recent
weeks in northern California. On July 8, two brothers with
possible ties to the World Church of the Creator --the same
group implicated in Illinois and Indiana--were arrested and are
likely to be charged for two anti-gay murders and the arson of
three synagogues in Sacramento.
The crimes in California and the Midwest are a multifaceted
attack on different oppressed groupings within the United
States. The revelation that these attacks could all be linked
to the same terror organization prompts an even greater
response to fascist Nazi- and Klan-like activity.
Richard Becker of the International Action Center in San
Francisco said that "this dangerous outbreak of racist and
fascist attacks directly threatens communities of color, the
lesbian, gay, bi, and trans communities, the Jewish community,
unions, women's organizations. We can't rely on the cops or the
FBI who have many times in the past turned out to be connected
with, and sometimes leading, fascist and racist
organizations."
Gloria La Riva of Workers World Party pointed out that "the
U.S. media and government want us to believe that these murders
and bombings are isolated incidents."
Anti-racist activists have expressed concern that the
government may try to fix blame for all the recent attacks in
the Sacramento area on two individuals, covering up the growing
fascist menace.
The Williams brothers could not have committed the crimes
alone because of the time span and distance between the
synagogue fires. These fascist groups do not operate alone. A
closer look reveals that these attacks are committed by a
league of fascist individuals; some having criminal records
spanning from cities in the East to the West Coast.
"We think the most important thing is the people's
response," said La Riva. "Activists from the affected
communities are mobilizing to fight back. What is needed is a
mobilization in Sacramento where everyone who wants to oppose
and defeat this fascist terror can join together."
WCC really fascist
The WCC, founded in 1973, cloaks itself in religious
rhetoric, but it is anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim. This "church"
is really a fascist organization. The WCC strongly supports and
hails Adolph Hitler and Nazism. It believes the destruction of
non-white individuals is necessary to achieve a "White
Utopia."
The WCC received media attention recently after one of its
members, Benjamin Smith, shot and killed two people--one
African American and one Korean--and wounded nine others in
racially motivated attacks in Illinois and Indiana. Smith then
shot and killed himself.
"Reverend" Matt Hale leads the WCC from his parent's home in
East Peoria, Ill. Hale was made supreme leader of the WCC in
1995. He is dedicated to bringing about a "Racial Holy War"
that would eliminate Jews, African Americans and other groups
targeted by racists and bigots.
The WCC is being investigated for conspiracies to attack and
eliminate gay, Jewish and other communities. A connection has
been made between members of the WCC and recent
racially-motivated bombings of three Sacramento synagogues that
were destroyed on June 18--all within minutes of each
other.
Left at the sites were tracts attacking the
"Jewish-controlled news media." On July 2, a women's health
clinic that provides abortions was firebombed. Investigators
have linked the synagogue attacks with that on the clinic.
On July 1, two gay men in the town of Happy Valley, north of
Sacramento, were found murdered in their bed. Benjamin and
James Williams were originally arrested on charges linked to
the murders of Gary Matson and Winfield Mowder.
White supremacist literature was found at the Williams home,
and according to Jonathon Bernstein, a hate-crime investigator,
some of it came from the WCC.
Also found was a list with names of 32 members of Jewish
synagogues--who may have been potential targets in a fascist
terror spree.
In the wake of the synagogue arsons, there has been a
response by people from Sacramento to disavow the fascist acts.
On June 21, 5,000 people attended a "Community Solidarity
Gathering," and money and volunteers have been committed to
rebuild the burned structures.
This article is copyright under a Creative Commons License.
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